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Tuesday, August 18, 2015

"a.d. 30 abridged" by ted dekker

Several years ago, I was a huge Ted Dekker fan—as in, I bought and read everything he wrote. But then I got to the point where I couldn't handle the intense crime fiction, a la Boneman's Daughters, and I just kind of drifted away from Dekker's writing. I'd heard amazing things about A.D. 30, though—it won a 2015 Inspy award for best mystery/thriller—so when I had the opportunity to review the new abridged version, I jumped at it.New York Times bestselling author Ted Dekker offers an exclusive, ebook original novella in this abridgment of A.D. 30, the epic historical novel about a woman who rises to lead her people after meeting Jesus.

Maviah, the outcast daughter of a powerful Arabian sheik, is called to protect the very people who rejected her. When enemies launch a sudden attack she escapes with the help of her father's warriors. Their journey is fraught with danger and takes her to a brutal world subjugated by kings and emperors. There Maviah must form an unlikely alliance with King Herod of the Jews. But her path also leads her to Yeshua, who offers her a way of life more powerful than any kingdom. Though following him may present an even greater danger, his may be the only way for Maviah to save her people--and herself.
Wow. Just wow. I never had any doubt that Dekker was an excellent writer, but A.D. 30 feels like a return to the Circle series, to The Books of Mortals. Yet it's different, too—it's not allegorical; it's set during Jesus' ministry, and it features events that truly happened and Jesus' own words. Obviously, Maviah's story is fictional, but it feels so real. Dekker's novel is a welcome addition to the biblical fiction genre.

Honestly, I have no idea what was cut out of the original novel to make this abridgement: it feels 100% complete. The story moves at a rapid pace, which serves to keep the reader fully engaged. And the scenes with Yeshua are so powerful; I loved watching Maviah change because of her encounters with Him. The ending is a bit abrupt, but that's because the story will continue in A.D. 33, which will release later this fall. I, for one, can't wait to find out what's next for Maviah while seeing Yeshua's story continue! 5 stars.Buy the novella.Read my reviews of Dekker's Green, Immanuel's Veins, Forbidden (written with Tosca Lee), and Tea with Hezbolla (written with Carl Medearis).Ted Dekker is a New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty-five novels with more than 10 million books in print. His most recent novel is A.D 30, an epic historical about the life of Jesus and the first book of his AD series. The second in the series, A.D. 33, will be published in October 2015. Dekker is best known for thrillers that combine adrenaline-laced plots with incredible confrontations between good and evil.Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook free for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

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